Automatic aisle-converting chair.



PATENT-ED JUNE '7, '1904.I

H. J.' DOHRBR. AUTOMATIC AISLE GONVBRTING CHAIR.

APPLIoA'rIoN 'rn'.rn umn. 1004.

' No IonnL'.-

, Ihvenfgu by UNITED 'STATES Patented June '7, 1904.

PATENT vOrmea.,

` HENRY J. DOI-IRER, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OE TWO- THIRDS TO DAVID E. OURTIN AND JOSEPH WV. DOHRER, OF ST.

` JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC AISLE-CONVERTING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION vforming part of Letters Patent No. 761,823,4dated June?, 1904.

l Application iIed January v25, 1904. Serial No.l90,1i74. (N o model.)

To all kLa7/1.0711, 2125 may concern: A

Be it known'that I, HENRY J. Doi-mur., a citizenvof the UnitedStates,- residing' at-St. J oseph,in the county of `Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Automatic Aisle-Converting Chairs; and I do declare the following to be a full, Aclear,'and exact description of the invention,'such as will enable others skilledY in the art: to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, .and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. y K

The object of my device is to provide a chair for theaters, churches. and public halls which is adapted to revolveautomatically to any segment of a circle and by which when all the seats in a line extending from the plat- 'form or stage to the rear of that section of `seats are automatically folded an aisle is instantly formed for all who have occupied said chairs in that line, thus permitting quick exit in case of fire, as well as at other times.

I accomplish my object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

Figure l is a side view of a chair and its back and a vertical section View of the pedestal and the stem and theV coil-spring therein. Fig. 2 is a similar view except the chair is shown partly revolved and folded. Fig. 3 is a detail top 'view of the pedestal, the stem and lugs for locking, and the hole for receiving the plunger end. Fig'. 4 is a detail top View of the pedestal and chair connections. Fig. 5 is a plan of the seat, 4the dotted lines showing its position when folded; and Fig. 6 is a plan of the seating arrangement, the chairs at one side shown in their position when occupied and shown on the other side of the figure folded, thus leaving aisles for exit hetween each line of chairs.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the pedestal of the chair; B, the seat, and O the hack of the chair.

v D is the frame of the chair; E, a rod on which the seati's pivoted.

F is a rod through the upper part of the.

forations in the chair-back.

When the seat is dropped in position shown in Fig. 1, theback part of the seat has passed underthe chair-back, the lower end ofthe hack and the seat-being spaced'apart, and a lug /t on ring H has crowded the lower part of the chair-hackv forward, thus throwing and holding the hack in an inclined position, as shown in said Fig. l. The party intending to occupy the chair having unfolded the chairseat and taken his seat thereon, it is held by his weight in said position. -The instant he rises therefrom the chair seat and back assume the position shown in Fig. 2, a lug It', also on` said ring H, serving the purpose of pressing the lower end of the chair-back'hackward in the same manner that lug 7L serves the purpose of-pressing it forward. Two coil-springs I I are attached at their upper K, being of circumference simply large enough to permitvth'e lower end of stem J to work therein freely.` The upper part, K', is enlarged to allow for a spring' L on the stem. The cap A of pedestal A isfcast separate and attached to the pedestal by bolts or screws to permit the insertion of said spring L into the interior of the pedestal when the device is constructed. A- cavity L is countersunk in the pedestal-cap. Within this countersunk space there are two upwardly-projecting lugs uends to the corners of the bacl; of the seat L On the stem there is another 'lug (Z, projeeting outwardly and adapted to travel in the space between lugs I; and U.

1n the front of the bottom of the frame of the chair there is a vertical aperture in which a plunger f and its spring f operate. In the pedestal-cap A thereis a hole f2 of circumference corresponding with the hole in which plung'er f operates in the front of the frame.

O O in Fig. 6 represent chairs in the position they will be in when occupied, facing the stage or platform.

P P represent the chairs when unoccupied, the seats folded, and the chairs revolved into a position that will allow an aisle from the stage to place of exit between each lineof chairs.

When the chair is in the position shown at P P, it is folded together, lug (il is in contact with lug and spring L is untensioned. lhen the chair is in the position shown at O O, it is unfolded, facing the stage or platform, lug Z is in contact with b, and plunger f is in hole f2, having been driven therein by the pressure of the descending seat, spring L is tensioned, and the chair is thus prevented being' turned or revolved back. The instant its occupant rises and his weight is off the chair-seat coil-springs I l. recoil, causing the seat to be folded. The folding up of the seat at once releases plunger f from hole f This releases the tension of spring L and permits said spring to swing the chair back to the original folded position shown at P P. The lower end of spring L is rigidly attached to the pedestal at shoulder S, while its upper end is rigidly attached to stem J. On said stem there is a collar V, adapted to fit beneath pedestal-cap A to prevent spring L raising the stem out of position. With spring L working on the stem from the opposite direction from that shown in the drawings and lug I) placed upon the opposite side from that in which it is shown the chair may be swung in the opposite direction from that illustrated and described.

The pedestals are adapted to be rigidly attached to the floor in any convenient way and are made to lit any incline of the floor.

5O Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an automatic aisle-converting chair, the combination of a chair-frame provided with a vertical perforation in its front, a hollow supporting-pedestal provided with an interior shoulder, a removable cap having a central eountersunk cavity and a plunger-receptacle, a revoluble stem having rigid connection at its upper end with the chair-frame and a rigidly-attached collar adapted to operate beneath the pedestal-cap, a spring rigidly attached at its lower end to the pedestal at said shoulder and its upper end to the stem, the chair seat and back pivotally attached to the chair-frame, the rings rigidly fastened to said seat and connected with said back through perforations in the back of the chair, the lugs on said rings one of which is adapted to hold the chair-back in an inclined position when the seat projects under the chair-back and the other to hold said back in a vertical position when the chair-seat is folded, the coil-springs connecting' the lower part of the chair-frame and the back corners of the seat, a plunger adapted to travel in the chai r-franie perforations and engage with the hole in the pedestalcap when the seat is occupied, the lugs in said cavity and a lug upon said stem adapted to engage with one cavity-lug` when the chair is unfolded and with the other when folded, said lugs controlling as to direction ol' the aisles, substantially as described and shown.

2. Ina chair the combination with a hollow pedestal, a frame, a pivoted back and seat, ol' rings rigidly fastened on the bach of said seat and on which the lower end of the chair-back is adapted to travel and lugs thereon adapted to hold the back of the seat vertical or inclined as desired, and coil-springs, their ends being connected with the lower part of the chair-frame and the back of the seat, adapted to fold and hold the seat in a vertieal position, substantially as set forth and shown.

3. The colnbination in revoluble chai rs with the pedestals, the frames, the backs, seats and stems, of the rings provided with lugs counecting the chair seats and hacks, the coilsprings connecting the seats and lower parts of the chair-frames and adapted to hold the seats in vertical positions when released from the weight of the occupants, the plungers in the perforations in the front ol the frames adapted to be withdrawn from their engagement with their receptacles in the pedestalcaps when the seats are folded thus releasing the chairs from their rigidly-held positions, and the springs on the stems adapted as said plungers are withdrawn from their pedestalcap connections to instantly swing and hohl the chairs in positions that will allow aisles at any desired angle between each line of chairs, substantially as shown and set forth.

1n testimony whereof l allix mysigmiture in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY fl. DOH INCH.

Witnesses:

E. A. Bnnrimiu, CLAY J. (JAnsoN.

lOO

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